“The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear Him.” Psalm 111:4-5

Tuesday evening, several of us went in wheelchairs to the last volleyball game. It was so exciting! It was in the Eads gym, where it was packed fuller than I had seen it or heard it so loud with cheering for a long time. That was because two strong, closely ranked teams, McClave and Eads, were playing in tough, close matches. In the end McClave had more points, but the Eads girls did well.

This has been a bit quieter week than usual around Eads in regard to activities and people. That is what I thought until I remembered that I didn’t see an announcement about the baby shower for Trice Watts and his wife, Brittany Newman, that was held at the Eads Senior Citizen Center Saturday afternoon. I would have liked to attend and taken a gift. I remember Brittany and Trice at Eads High School; they were very good athletes and fine young people. They went away to different colleges and different careers. I was glad when they found each other. Now Trice is the administrator of the hospital in Tribune, Kansas, and Brittany has a job as a physical therapist. Best wishes to them and their unborn child. It was so nice that Connie Richardson could push her mother, Shirley Watts, up to the shower in her wheelchair. Shirley always smiles even more when she sees her grandchildren!

The Haswell Community Bazaar last Saturday at the former school site was the big highlight for me and many other people. Since it is a large affair, the people use the former school building, which is easier to enter. I was blessed to have my Christian friend, Bob Northrup, drive my van over to Haswell so Robin Musgrave could help me set up a table for the Kit Carson Lutheran Church. I like to go there to be able to see family and friends. I plan to tell you more about our friends there in weeks to come.

The booth nearest to the stage at Haswell was Taillia Webster’s. I didn’t fully recognize her until I began to talk to this charming young lady who had grown up so much during the year. I should have remembered that she was related to the Oswald family. No doubt her uncle, Donald Oswald, was pleased to see what an attractive young lady she is growing up to be.

There were many tables of vendors from towns in the area: Kit Carson, Holly, Karval, and Lamar. One of my favorites was the Haswell Community Church, which was selling some gorgeous crystal dishes and silver pans. Their church is over 100 years old, so they are selling the kitchenware. Nancy Miller and Glenda Stoker had wonderful foods like confections, candies, and breads for sale. Then Glenda had about four more tables of her unique hand-sewn blankets, potholders, towels, aprons, and other toys and fine things for sale. More news on the bazaar next week.

It was such a pleasure to have Pastor Mark Imel here Sunday. He and Gail Voss traded Sundays for our worship service. We do so appreciate the leaders and pastors who come from local churches to share the Lord’s message with us.

Marla Darnell is an amazing lady to me. She has so much energy to still be recovering from cancer operations and chemotherapy while opening a thriving restaurant and gift shop in Kit Carson. Her home is northwest of Kit Carson on the Johnson Ranch, perched on the hillside of a creek that sometimes floods. She gets up often at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. to travel into Kit Carson to prepare breakfast food for travelers or locals, where she is bright and cheerful! And yet when she comes to Eads to serve us breakfast, she is still so cheerful! Amazing woman! At Haswell Saturday, Marla and Patsy States had about three or four tables of wonderful goods like handbags, sweaters, caps, coats, hats, bedding, and blankets, plus toys.

The remarkable playwright, Teri Kay Jobe, lives right here in Eads. Her play was presented two days this past week and will also be performed this week on October 24 and 25 in the Crow Luther Plains Theater. The actors and actresses are young adults and are directed by Morena Lowe. The director, actors, and actresses are grateful to Fred and Debi Derby for their fine art on set designs through the years.

Betty Crow’s sister, Bobbie Calhoun, came to visit her from southeastern Oklahoma. Her daughter, Michelle, drove her to Colorado to visit Betty’s brother, Gary, in the Colorado mountains. Michelle’s daughter, Ashley, and Ashley’s daughter came along to Colorado too.

Sunday night I had two young boys — Charlie Prince, with his mother, Claire, from Tennessee, and Miguel Wilson with his mother, Kathy — along with Areta Laird and Valorie Briggs come to visit me. The boys carried in their tall trophies that were almost taller than them! The boys had been in a martial arts competition in Lamar Saturday with boys and girls from many states in the USA. Grandmaster Choi instructs martial arts in Lamar. He is an expert who teaches many skills. Alice Glover and Areta Laird also attended all those wonderful competitions in Lamar Saturday.

Friends of Peggy Shelden, please send cards and letters to her at 4430 24th Street, Apartment 100, Greeley, CO 80634.

Let’s contact friends often.

May the Lord bless you all.